“How demoralizing is it to know that one man with power can undermine decades of progress in shedding light on childhood trauma,” Erik Menendez said about Ryan Murphy’s “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.”
The limited series debuted on Netflix on Sept. 19 and stirred controversy almost immediately. The show is a true crime biopic centered around the Menendez brothers, who were convicted of murdering their parents in 1996.
In a heavily televised trial, the brothers revealed disturbing truths of their parents’ abusive acts towards them, sparking public intrigue.
Murphy, the creator of “Glee” and “American Horror Story,” announced this project as a follow up to its predecessor, “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.” “Dahmer” faced similar backlash due to Murphy’s portrayal of the infamous serial killer and his victims.
Family members of the victims denounced the “Dahmer” series for the exploitation of their relatives’ deaths.
“It’s sad that they’re just making money off of this tragedy,” said Rita Isbell, sibling of Errol Lindsey, one of Dahmer’s victims.
Despite this, “Dahmer” smashed expectations in its opening weeks. It got one billion views in its first 60 days on Netflix and garnered critical acclaim, receiving 13 nominations at the 2023 Emmys with Niecy Nash-Betts winning best supporting actress in a limited series.
With this recent uptick in true crime documentaries and biopics being released, concerns have been raised about the glorification and dramatization of these tragic events. At the forefront of this discussion is Erik Menendez.
“I believe Ryan Murphy cannot be this naive and inaccurate about the facts of our lives so as to do this without bad intent,” Erik Menendez said.
Menendez condemned Murphy and Netflix for the portrayals of himself and his older brother, Lyle. He said that the series had neglected the seriousness of their trauma, taking “the painful truths several steps backward.”
Murphy responded to Menendez with E! News, saying, “We show many, many, many perspectives. That’s what the show does in every episode. You are given a new theory based on people who were either involved or covered the case.”
Ultimately, this discussion has raised questions about the artistic liberty showrunners are given when dramatizing peoples’ stories.
Murphy, known for his boundary-pushing content, has taken a large role in this trend, and continues to do so.
UM students echoed the conflict between entertaining content and the truth.
“I loved the show, but I know people are saying it’s not an entirely accurate portrayal,” freshman School of Communication student, Jenna Simone, said. “The actors did amazing, it was a perfect cast lineup, and I really do wanna see them in more films in the future.”
Lulu Obell, a freshman majoring in Biomedical Engineering, referred to the show as an “emotional watch,” because of the structure, displaying multiple theories about the brothers from those involved. She said the show “sacrifices accuracy for entertainment.”
“He made the show for entertainment and defamed two victims in the process,” she continued. “Ryan Murphy never met the brothers. He said in an interview that he never intends to and that’s enough. That tells you how much he cared about being accurate or sharing the truth about their story.”
Presently, in tandem with “Monsters,” Murphy has released “American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez,” focusing on the former Patriots star who was involved in a string of murders, which has received similar criticism regarding a lack of substance.
Although criticized for the content, both of Murphy’s new projects have received positive feedback towards the performances of the actors.
Netflix is set to release a documentary on Oct. 7 about the Menendez case, which will focus more on the events themselves rather than a melodramatic recreation of them.
In addition to the docuseries, “Monsters” was greenlit for another season focusing on serial killer Ed Gein. Production is slated to begin this coming month.
With the public’s commentary on the current season, viewers hope to see a more accurate account of the events, with more sensitivity to the victims and their families.
While true crime has and will continue to play a major role in the entertainment industry, the approach to how these stories are told is in need of a change.